Legendary American singer Earle Wheeler is called home

/in /by

So as best I recall, it was 1984 at Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival in Dallas, Ga., I took it into my head that the Marksmen Quartet needed a fiddle player, so I crawled up on stage fiddle in hand from the audience and joined in. I was surprised Earle Wheeler didn’t kick me right back off.

Already a legendary American music singer Dr. Earle Wheeler, of Murrayville, Ga. whose appearances on “The Gospel Singing Jubilee,” J.G. Whitfield’s “All Nite Sings,” and “The Warren Roberts Show” greatly impacted Southern gospel and now he was making strides in bluegrass music. He would go on to add country music as another musical genre among his conquests.

Dr. Earle Wheeler (Marksmen Media: Leslie Laurendeau Abby-J Photography)

He contributed over 500 career recordings to American music and amassed over 20 career award wins across the three musical genres plus three Dove Award nominations for “God’s Masterpiece” and “Blue Ridge Mountain Memories” and “This My Crowd” in 2008, 2010, and 2013. He attained numerous chart songs including several #1 songs, some of those were “Sound the Battle Cry,” “He’s Still Setting My Place at The Table,” “Potter’s Wheel,” and “Preach the Cross.”

Earle left this world doing what he loved while on tour in Texas at the age of 84, (1940- 2024). An accidental fall caused a broken second vertebra requiring his hospitalization prior to his passing from heart failure on Oct. 31.

Earle had led the Hall of Fame and multiple-award–winning Marksmen Quartet since 1967, a re-branding from his group The Gospel Hearts that he began in 1961.

My intervening in their performance 40 years ago, began friendships and musical collaborations that remain to this day.

My early years in music, I spent countless nights in their home. I slept in a bunk pulled out from under guitarist and vocalist Mark Wheeler’s bed when we were youth. Mark is Earle’s only son and a mainstay of the quartet. I ate many meals prepared by his wife Shirley at their dining room table.

When I graduated, Earle helped me get my first record company job. Of course, they would soon sign with that label and I promoted their music. While there I played on my first chart record for Earle “Meet Me in Heaven” which featured a fiddle solo in it.

That was one of a long list of chart songs in the three genres Earle would bring to music fans.

I stood on stage beside Earle for many years watching him move an audience with his master level skills of emceeing a show. His performances often brought explosive response from audiences was when he led “Get Away Jordan” and “I Want to Go There.” I saw long-time stars express their frustrations to follow Earle on stage because he would wear out an audience through his ability to move them emotionally.

The Marksmen joined me in my performance for the Grand Ole Opry’s 63rd Birthday Celebration in 1987 electrifying the audience. Within a year, they were included in a performance for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Legends of Bluegrass Concert in 1988 alongside Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Jim and Jesse, The Lewis Family, and the Osborne Brothers. Their efforts garnered them nine Gospel Bluegrass Band of the Year Awards once such an award was created.

I was honored to be there for many of those great achievements with Earle and appear with them on shows such as “The Huff Cook Gospel Sing” from Bristol, Va.

Beginning in 1988, I joined the cast of “In the Heat of the Night,” and when the opportunity arose, I included Earle and the group to sing on “In the Heat of the Night” “Christmas Time’s A Comin’” CD with Anne-Marie Johnson and featured them with Carroll O’Connor, the cast and country hall of famers.

In later years, when ever I appeared Earle used to joke I left the Marksmen because Carroll O’Connor paid me more than he did.

His acceptance in bluegrass also yielded his transition and acceptance into the country genre performing side by side with that genre’s biggest stars. Still performing in the same fashion, just finding new audiences for four voices and their unique songs. The group would win Five Country Gospel Group of the Year Awards. They won Two Country Music Video Awards for “Grandpa Was a Farmer” and “Wagon Tracks.”

From our first concert to raise funds for the Pearl and Floyd Franks Appalachian Music Scholarships for the Share America Foundation, Inc., Earle and the Marksmen Quartet were there and made our efforts a success each year joining us for the last time in 2023 on the Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree.

Earle and his wife Shirley were an extra set of parents who have checked in on me throughout my life. Earle was there supporting me when I lost both my dad and mom. He is survived by his wife Shirley, his son Mark (Joy), and his grandchildren Will, Sarah Grace, and Cana and current and former members of The Marksmen Quartet.

Rest in Peace Earle… Well done good and faithful servant!

                            The Marksmen – 1987

 

Finding independence in music

/in /by

Music begins within each of our souls. If we are lucky, God bestows us the gifts to let it out.

Some sing, some play, some do both and their gifts bless their families, their church, their neighbors.

For many years now, the advent of the internet has broken down the hold gatekeepers had on reaching the mass audience. Now folks can sit in their living rooms with a camera, make music and people from around the world can find the, like them and buy their music.

Of course, the old fashion approach, town to town, church to church, club to club still helps build an audience too. Now, stars can come out of nowhere.

I was recently in attendance for an independent music awards called the 10th Annual Josie Music Awards.For 10 years, these have grown and expanded recognizing artists in country, Americana, bluegrass, folk, R & B, Rock and Roll, World Music and other forms. This was my second time to attend and both times I have taken it in as an artist who was nominated in categories in the awards. For me, it was Inspirational Vocalist and Musician of the Year – Fiddle. I have been so honored the last couple of years by their recognition of my musical efforts.

The Josie Awards are coordinated by Josie Passantino-Boone and Tinamarie Passantino. Beginning small it has grown to now be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. Folks travel from all over the U.S. and Canada and even foreign countries to attend the events surrounding the awards.

When I started in country music, we had a grassroots system operated by fan clubs that allowed artists to grow their followings and climb the ladder in a way. That has been replaced by largely by social media and followers.

While attending I met artists from around the country, many who have been growing and building their careers for years and some just starting but they all were standing side-by-side as award nominees, dressed in their finest, posing for photos, interviewing with media trying to expand their audiences.

In this award show, new and seasoned artists saw long-time artists, multi-million sellers, many hits in varying genres come across the stage and be honored and also perform. This year, they joined Neil McCoy (Lifetime Achievement Award Winner), Tiffany (Icon Award Winner), and John McCuen (Musician Lifetime Achievement Award Winner), and Randy Edelman (Songwriter Legend Award Winner), Doug Stone was also a presenter as were some recent music stars created by American Idol and similar shows.

I was so impressed by the artists I saw walk across the stage. They came from many backgrounds and regions. Their looks, musical talents and fashion choices varied. Their acceptance speeches were heartwarming and a dominant overall theme was faith in God and the revelation that He bestowed their talents and salvation. It was so refreshing!

As I sat towards the back of the auditorium watching folks, I realized the hosts called my name from the stage, so I made my way to the stage, climbed up the stairs on stage and awaited the other winners in the Musician of the Year categories.

We then each got to walk center stage and stand on the Circle. A section of floor taken from the Ryman where the Grand Ole Opry called home for so many years. As a Grand Ole Opry guest star, I had stood there before, so the experience was not new to me, but still highly revered by me.

“Forty years ago, Bill Monroe brought me here as an artist,” I said.

I thanked some of the fiddlers who influenced me like Howdy Forrester and Kenny Baker, Tommy Jackson, Chubby Wise, and Paul Warren who inspired me to want to be better at fiddling. Also my early Georgia fiddling influences – my Great Uncle Tom Franks who learned from my Great Grandfather A.J. Harve Franks, Dr. Donald Grisier, Dallas Burrell, Gordon Tanner, Eugene Akers and so many others.

I thanked my late parents Pearl and Floyd Franks, and God above for the honor. I also attributes all that has come to my mentors Grand Ole Opry stars Jim & Jesse McReynolds.

All in all, I can probably sum up the sentiments of the winners and the nominees and their families and friends who attended. It was such wonderful night, everyone walking the red carpet, sharing interviews with media folks and meeting other music artists from around the world. New friends made, old friends renewed and our musical toils recognized.

For those interested in my work as 2024 Musician of the Year – Fiddle, my latest single is the fiddle-backed patriotic film monologue “The American’s Creed – Recitation” and brand new on Nov. 1 is the historical fiddle single “Cotton-Eyed Joe” performed live with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys raising funds for the Pearl and Floyd Franks Appalachian Music Scholarships. Both available on ITunes and Amazon.

Learn more about the Josie Music Awards at https://www.josiemusicawards.com/.